Description This digital watch puts an altimeter, barometer and thermometer right on your wrist, along with alarm, stopwatch and day/date display. Luminator lighting allows for easy reading in dark conditions and...
Summary: Great watch and with features some of the newer models have abandoned.
As an example, i also now have a PAG80-1V Casio, a new one triple sensor with compass.
But the new one can't do some of the things the PAL-20 can manage. The PAL-20 will let you display the time, temp, current baro as well as the baro graphic for the last 24 hour all on one display
the PAG80-1v won't let you do that. You can display all that stuff, but not on one display, you have to push buttons. Which is a real shame, because the PAG80-1V ha sa much larger display and could easily show everything the PAL-20 could. Advantage: PAL-20
Display illumination is also better on the PAL-20, much brighter night light and louder beeps for alarms and alerts
Advantage: PAL-20
the PAG80-1v has a much bigger display however it is also a much bigger watch, and might be too large for some.
So be careful when you go out to replace your trusty dusty PAL-20 (mines 6 years old) as the newer pathfinders don't do things quite like the older ones did, to their detriment in my opinion.
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Reviewed by: Walter Siegmund(Unregistered User)
,
Mountaineer
, from Seattle
Price Paid:
$150.00
at REI, Seattle
Summary: I have a Casio PAL-20 (Alti Thermo Pathfinder II, 150 USD) that I've found to be completely satisfactory for my purposes. If I wasn't myopic, I might like bigger numbers. The Casio is only a bit larger than a typical man's wristwatch; I carry it as my only watch on vacations. Even those that are not primarily hiking.
I didn't do much research to select it. Of the models I examined, it was the only one that specified the altimeter temperature sensitivity coefficient, i.e., +/-330 ft/18 deg F. The coefficient for my watch is less than half the specified value. The repeatability demonstrated on my North Dome trip (Yosemite Valley) is typical; over 9 hours and a dramatic weather change, the parking lot elevation repeated to 60'. Some altimeter watches have compasses. I suspect that might be useful and convenient, but I'd carry a conventional compass just in case the watch quite working.
Several years ago, I descended from St. Andrews Rock on the west side of Mt. Rainier in thick fog. It was uneventful, but only because we had a mechanical altimeter and a compass. That experience made me a believer.
In automatic mode, the watch logs 50 time/elevation/temperatures triplets at 15 minute intervals (12 hours of data). In manual mode, data is stored whenever one of the buttons is pushed. The log can be viewed while hiking and provides answers to questions like "When did we reach the summit?" and "How long 'til we get back to the car?" You can enter an altitude offset if you wish. The offset is 200 to 400 feet for my watch. It's most often about 300 feet.
I find the graph displayed on the watch useful. The 28x8 dot array displays altitude over the previous 28 minutes of time. Each dot represents 2 minutes of time and 40 feet of elevation. A 45 degree slope corresponds to a rate of 20 ft/min or 1200 ft/hour, a comfortable ascent rate for a fit day hiker. Sometimes, when I'm impatient, I'm reassured to glance at my watch and see a very reasonable ascent rate.
I have a GPS that my brother and nephews gave me that I never use. It is too heavy and bulky for hiking, doesn't seem quite sporting, and one tends to be more observant if one depends partially on memory to retrace ones route. The new GPS's are light enough (5 to 6 oz) to consider, however.
Similar Products Used: Its features make it much nicer than mechanical altimeters. However, check the battery frequently and carry a spare if it is essential that you have a working altimeter.
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Reviewed by: Juan(Unregistered User)
,
Mountaineer
, from Ecuador
Price Paid:
$200.00
at gift
Summary: my dad and mom gave it to me as a christmas present. at the bigining I did nt feel confotable wit hit because its too big but then i got use to. I used twice on Cayambe and cotopaxi and on the top it showed an altitude totally different. for example the top of the cotopax iis at 5,987 meters and the altimeter said 6,000 meters . anyway I'm happy whit this watch I like it and looks pretty fancy :) Juan
Similar Products Used: None
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